Jax State Celebrates Grand Opening of Randy Owen Center with Star-Studded Tribute Concert

Jacksonville, AL (06/03/2026) — Jacksonville State University officially opened the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts in unforgettable fashion on Wednesday night, May 27, as some of the biggest names in country music gathered to honor Jax State alumnus and ALABAMA frontman Randy Owen during a sold-out grand opening celebration.

Live in Concert: Randy Owen and Friends brought together a lineup of country music royalty to perform songs spanning ALABAMA's Hall of Fame career while celebrating Owen's impact on music, philanthropy, and Jacksonville State University.

Artists performing throughout the evening included ALABAMA's Owen and Teddy Gentry, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, Pam Tillis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mark Wills, Drake White, The Isaacs, and Gordon Mote.

The evening's appearances were kept secret from Owen ahead of the concert, creating a night filled with emotional surprises honoring the country music legend and his impact on generations of artists.

The concert marked the official opening celebration of the new state-of-the-art facility, which will serve as a cultural hub for performances, arts education, university programming, and community engagement for generations to come.

"What took place tonight says everything about what Randy Owen means to Jacksonville State University and to the country music industry," said Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. "When artists and friends of this caliber come together to honor one person, it speaks to the respect Randy has earned through his career, his character, and the way he has invested in others throughout his life. Randy has never forgotten where he came from, and now future generations of students will have a place that inspires them to dream bigger, create boldly, and share their talents with the world. The impact of this facility and what it will represent will be felt at Jax State for decades to come."

Named in honor of Owen, the center stands as a major investment in arts education and cultural enrichment for Northeast Alabama. The facility will host concerts, educational programming, student performances, touring productions, and community events while also serving as a learning environment for Jax State students pursuing careers in music and the performing arts.

During Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony, Owen reflected on what the moment meant to him personally and the impact he hopes it will have for generations to come.

"My wishes, and my hopes, and my dreams are that someday some kid will come through here, like me, and when they leave here, they have a dream," Owen said during Tuesday's ceremony. "Because if I can make it, anybody can. I've been so blessed to be here, and this is one day that I'll never forget."

Opening week festivities for the Randy Owen Center continued on Thursday, May 28, with guided public tours and a free public screening of My Home's in Alabama: The Randy Owen Story that evening.

For more information about the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts, visit jsu.edu/roc.

Media Contact for ALABAMA: Absolute Publicity, Inc., Don Murry Grubbs / don@absolutepublicity.com

PHOTOS: Click here to download photos from the event. Please credit Brandon Phillips/Jax State Digital Media Services.

About ALABAMA Over 50 years ago, Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen left the cotton farms of Fort Payne, Alabama to spend the summer playing music in a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina bar called The Bowery. It took them six long years of tip jars and word-of-mouth to earn the major label deal they'd been dreaming of-then seemingly no time at all to change the face of country music. ALABAMA, country music's first band, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. The group is known for hit songs including "Mountain Music," "Roll On," "Dixieland Delight" and "If You're Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band)." From humble beginnings picking cotton in the fields to international stardom, ALABAMA has sold over 80 million albums and charted 43 No. 1 hits, becoming the most successful band in the history of country music. In November 2022, ALABAMA co-founder Jeff Cook passed away following a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease. With his prior encouragement and wishes, ALABAMA continues touring on a limited basis, keeping the iconic music they created alive for current and future generations of fans. For more information on ALABAMA, visit thealabamaband.com.

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